INTROSPECTION. You need it. Take a break and think about what your life is about.

Put your routine aside, put your plans aside, put your everything aside, and take the time to think: What is my life for? Where am I going, and where do I want to go? If I stay on my present track, what will my life come to and is that all right, or is it drab, disappointing, crummy, empty? "Russell Jones keeled over in front of his television set. He is survived by … "

From Srimad-Bhagavatam we learn that when Brahma, the first created being, first awoke after having been created, he found himself seated on a great lotus, surrounded by cosmic darkness, the lotus swaying in the wind. And he began to ask himself: Who am I? Why am I here? What is this lotus? And where has it come from?

He looked in all directions and could find only darkness. But finally, amidst that darkness, he heard a transcendent sound, a cue from the Personality of Godhead, a mantra, a liberating instruction. And acting on that instruction, he steadied his mind in meditation and at last saw before him a vision of the spiritual realm and the Personality of Godhead, Krsna. Brahma had attained perfection in Krsna consciousness.

By the grace of Krsna he could now understand everything about his own self, his purpose in life, the lotus, the darkness everything. Such is the wonderful power of introspection, guided by transcendental sound.

Introspection alone however honest, however intense, however deep isn't enough. It falls short, collapsing along the way. But when our power of introspection is uplifted and reliably guided, when it takes help from transcendental sound from Krsna then success is sure.

By deep introspection, by a sincere inner search, and with help from the Personality of Godhead, our eternal Krsna consciousness can be revived. Then every question is answered, every problem solved, every perplexity unraveled, every obstacle overcome. The mental clouds that have covered us, the routines that have dulled us, the smiling falsities that have bewitched and bound us with the help of Krsna, we can then see them for what they are and go free.

That help from Krsna is available to us in the Krsna sound. There is no difference between Krsna the Personality of Godhead and Krsna the transcendental sound. So our introspection can best be guided by Krsna's words of enlightenment, as found in Bhagavad-gita, or by the sound of the Krsna mantra Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. By that Krsna sound, Krsna is present. And when Krsna is present, illusion can no longer prevail.

So take a deep break, look within, take guidance from Krsna's words, chant Hare Krsna. Krsna will help you, and your life will again be sublime.

Jayadvaita Swami